Most guys find it easy to target specific muscles in order to develop them. Want larger biceps? Grab some dumbbells. Want to build a stronger chest? Start by doing flyers and press-ups.
But abs? But abs are another story. Many guys spend hours doing crunches in the gym, only to see no progress.
Let’s face it: not all abs look the same. Some guys can get six-pack abs without doing a single sit-up. However, the majority of men need to push their stomachs to exhaustion to achieve a six-pack.

Ab Exercises Benefits
The best way to get visible abs is by training your core. A fortified midsection has a number of benefits that can be applied to anyone — whether they are weekend 5K runners, CrossFitters, or those who want to get faster, stronger, and more fit. Here are a few.
You will achieve your personal best
A plateau in your training? Squats stalled? Are deadlifts not working? You could be holding yourself back because of your (lack) of accessory work or a weak core. Your compound moves will be based on a strong midsection. Ab workouts like this explosive core crusher will help you lift more weight for longer reps and generate more force in your body.
Exercises to Improve Your Posture
Core training will help you to stand up straighter. In a study published in the Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, core training was found to improve the posture of male players of volleyball.
Best 18 Ab Exercises
1. Barbell Floor Wiper
- 2. Raise your legs to an L-shaped position while keeping your arms straight.
- 3. You can lower your leg to either side and then raise it again without touching the ground.
2. Medicine Ball Slam
1. Lift the Medicine Ball with your arms extended while standing up and slightly bent at the knees.
2. As you bend your waist forward, rise and throw the ball using your core muscles.
3. Repeat catching the ball. This motion not only strengthens your abs but also gives you strong shoulders.
3. Side Jackknife
1. Lay on your back with your right elbow bent and your left elbow extended.
2. Ensure that your right leg is on your left.
3. As you lift your body, bring your right elbow up to your left foot. Slowly lower your body down and then switch sides.
4. Dragon Flag
1. Lean back on the bench and hold the bench behind your neck with both hands.
2. As you raise your shoulders, bring your knees to your chest.
3. As you move slowly down, keep your back straight. Not only will you feel it in your abdominals, but also in your lower back.
5. Cable Woodchopper
1. Stand with your back towards the machine and set the cable machine at the highest setting.
2. Grab the handle with both your hands and take a small step away from it. Spread your feet to shoulder-width apart.
3. Rotate your torso while extending your arms and pulling the handle across your body.
4. After each set, switch sides and bend your knees while pivoting your back foot.
6. Plank with Knee Tap
1. Put your elbows under your shoulders and get into the plank position.
2. Lower both knees slowly and controllably until they touch the ground.
3. Return to the plank position.

7. Shoulder Tap and Jack
1. Assume a plank pose, placing your hands directly beneath the shoulders.
2. As you extend your feet, keep your core engaged and tap the right shoulder with the left hand. Return to the start.
3. Repeat the same motion on the other side.
8. Leg Lower
1. Start by lying backward with your arms on the mat, hands on your butt, and palms facing down.
2. Slowly lower your leg as low as you can without lifting your back off the floor.
3. Return to the start.
4. Repeat the exercise with the opposite leg.
9. Hand Slide Crunch
- As you sit up, place your hands on the thighs of your legs and slide them slowly up to your knees.
- Chamberlain says that this does not need to be a big movement. “Focus your attention on closing the gap between your ribs, hips, and shoulders by lifting your shoulder off the floor and maintaining contact with the ground.
- The upper abs are more visible when you move the top half of your body up. Start with five sets and progress to 15. “
10. Mountain Climber
- Chamberlain says, “Start with a straight-arm press-up. Place one knee between your elbows while keeping the back foot flat on the ground. “Switch the front foot with the back foot by jumping the back foot up off the floor.
- “Concentrate on pulling in your stomach muscles throughout the movement to add more intensity and protect your spine. This exercise is great for both burning calories and developing your abdominal muscles. Mountain climbers are a great exercise to burn calories and develop your abs. “
11. Reverse crunch
- The reverse crunch will strengthen your abdominals even more than the standard crunch. This exercise keeps your muscles in tension for longer.
- Lay down on your back and lift your legs up so that your thighs are horizontal and your knees bent at 90 degrees. Your abs should be contracted to raise your hips and knees up off the floor. Then, slowly lower them back down to the beginning.
12. The Russian twist
- This exercise is worth learning because it targets the obliques. Often, people are thrown into the deep end by fitness classes that offer more challenging variations. Sit with your heels on the ground and your knees bent. Lean your back 45 degrees. To prevent hunching the back, keep your chest raised. Your fingers should be interlocked and your arms extended in front.
- Turn your torso left or right and bring your hands down to touch the floor on the opposite side. Then, rotate back to the middle and continue to touch the other side. After you have mastered this movement, you can make it harder by lifting your heels and/or holding weights.
13. Hardstyle plank
- Prop yourself up in a plank position with your forearms while lying face-down on the floor.
- Make sure that your elbows are positioned under your shoulders. Also, make sure that your fists are clenched. Your forearms must be parallel.
- Hold each set for 10-20 seconds.
Trainer tip: Planks are familiar to you. You can easily go through the motions. Could you do it? Wealth says that the key is to squeeze as much of your body as you can, including your quads, glutes, and core muscles, while breathing diaphoretically throughout. This exercise can be as challenging as you want to make it.
14. Dumbbell side bend
Hold a dumbbell with the palm of your right hand facing your torso. Maintain a straight back, engage your core, and bend as far to the side as you can, but only at the waist. One rep is one second of holding at the bottom of the range of motion. Then, return to the starting position.
- Wealth’s tip for trainers: “Be careful when choosing the weight.” It shouldn’t be impossible. You can achieve maximum results by using reasonable weights. Keep the tempo slow and steady. The six-pack effect is not in the lifting itself but the burning sensation that you experience along the way.
15. Tabletop Crunch & Reach
Spread out flat on your back, and bend your knees 90 degrees above you. As you crunch, extend your arms beyond your knees towards your ankles. As you lower yourself out of the crunch, extend your arms above your head while straightening your legs at an angle. Bring your legs to 90 degrees while crunching. This will return you to your original starting position.
- Expert Tips: Taylor Wittick, a personal trainer, adds a twist to traditional crunches by raising the legs up to the tabletop and adding an overhead extension. This move can be improved by holding a dumbbell in both hands during the entire movement.
16. Bicycle Crunch
- Lift your shoulder blades and place your hands behind your back.
- Bring your left elbow up to your right knee while pulling your right leg into your chest.
- Do the same thing on the other side. The right elbow should touch the left knee.
The straight leg should hover a few inches off the ground during the movement.
Fitting Room’s Pierre Armand is a big fan of this move. It may seem simple, but when done correctly, it will illuminate all your abdominal muscles. It would help if you did not squash your neck when performing this exercise. Instead, keep your neck long and lifted as if you were holding a small apple below your chin.
17. Captain’s Chair
- You’ll need a gym to do this abs exercise. Use a captain’s seat or a chair without a back and armrests to let your legs hang straight down. Then, raise your knees towards your chest. Slowly lower your legs down while engaging your abdominal muscles. Repeat. This is a great ab workout to add to your list.

18. Crunches with an exercise ball
- The study found that the third most efficient abdominal exercise is the simple crunch performed on a medicine ball or balance wheel. You can do the simple crunch by lying on a medicine or balance ball and placing your hands behind your back.
- The researchers found that crunches performed on an exercise ball were more effective in targeting the abdominal muscles and less active in the leg muscles.
Conclusion:
To maximize the effectiveness of ab exercises and reduce injury risk, it is important to maintain consistency and use proper form. A well-rounded workout should include cardio exercise and a healthy diet to reveal the abdominal muscles underneath any excess body weight.